Quinoa with Caramelized Butternut Squash and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Quinoa with Caramelized Butternut Squash and Roasted Brussels Sprouts is a delicious vegetarian side dish!

Can we talk about deviating from the grocery list? Oh my gosh it’s so much fun. Every weekend I create a meal plan for the week then write out a list of ingredients I’ll need to make the recipes, categorized by department of course, then shop. I do my best to keep my eyes forward, but occasionally they’ll wander.

Sour Licorice Rips for $.50/bag? Don’t mind if I do.

Mini Champ Cones on sale? Ben will want those. (Yeah, Ben…)

MY OTHER RECIPES

Candy corn and honey-roasted peanuts? Better stock up for the holidays!

Notice a theme? Usually it’s the sweet treats that cause me to stray, but recently I made a beeline for a healthier list buster – shaved brussels sprouts, which I used in this Quinoa with Caramelized Butternut Squash and Roasted Brussels Sprouts!

Brussels sprouts are one of my very favorite foods, but they’re kind of a pain in the butt to prep. Trim the ends, cut in half, peel off the outer leaves, and repeat x100. Ever since spying pre-shredded sprouts at the store a few weeks ago I’ve been playing around with different uses, and this quinoa dish is one of my favorites. It’s be a perfect vegetarian side dish to any night of the week.

Fluffy quinoa combines with sweet, caramelized butternut squash, roasty-toasty shaved brussels sprouts, creamy parmesan cheese, and crunchy pepitas in one fab little side dish. Disgustingly healthy. Plus there’s only 3 main ingredients, and they each cook in about the same amount of time. I’ll show you!

Start with the 1 cup quinoa which, like all my other rices/small-cut pastas, I store in a mason jar. One trick I do to both remind me of what’s inside AND how to cook it is to cut off the instructions from the original packaging and pop it in the jar. Easy!

Rinse the quinoa very well in a fine mesh sieve under cold running water (even if the packaging says “pre-rinsed”) then add it to a scant 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth that’s boiling. Quinoa has a bitter outer coating that will make the whole dish taste off if it’s not rinsed.

Turn the heat down to medium-low then let the quinoa simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork then set aside.

I’ve been making caramelized butternut squash like crazy lately. First for Caramelized Butternut, Crispy Kale + Fontina Pizza last week, then randomly to snack on. It is mind-blowingly good, and so easy to make. I keep chopped butternut squash in the freezer then toss it right in a hot skillet when I need a fix. No thawing necessary!

Add the quinoa, roasted brussels sprouts, and caramelized butternut squash to a bowl with 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup pepitas (look for pepitas in the bulk bins) then toss to combine.

Quinoa with Caramelized Butternut Squash and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Description

Quinoa with Caramelized Butternut Squash and Roasted Brussels Sprouts is a delicious, side dish chock-full of good-for-you ingredients.

Ingredients

serves 6 as a side

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well

scant 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

9oz shaved brussels sprouts (I used Green Giant brand)

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

garlic salt & pepper

2 Tablespoons butter

2 cups 1/2 inch cubed butternut squash

1-1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup pepitas

Directions

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan then add rinsed quinoa (be sure to rinse well in fine mesh sieve under cold running water - even quinoa that comes "pre-rinsed".) Place a lid on top then turn heat down to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork then set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil. Add brussels sprouts, oil, garlic salt, and pepper to baking sheet then toss with fingers to evenly coat. Roast for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Melt butter in a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and butternut squash then saute, stirring every so often - more so near the end - until tender, about 15 minutes.

Combine quinoa, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, parmesan cheese, and pepitas in a large bowl then toss and serve with extra parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

If you can't find pre-shredded brussels sprouts, trim the ends, peel off any outer leaves that are loose, then shred thinly with a sharp knife.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Although this dish only has a few main ingredients, it needs nothing more. The garlicky roasted brussels sprouts are perfect with the sweetened caramelized butternut squash. The parmesan cheese makes the dish ever-so creamy, and pepitas offer a satisfying crunch. Enjoy!

99 Comments [+]

That looks really yummy and so simple to make. I am a big fan of brussel sprouts myself as I know lots of people dislike them!! Although here in London we don’t get Brussell shavings…I have never seen this before!!http://vodkaandarose.blogspot.co.uk

Try as I might, I just can’t get into Brussels sprouts. :( However, your tip about keeping the instructions from original packaging is GENIUS. I have two recycled kombucha bottles full of undistinguishable grains in my pantry. Someday when I want to make arborio rice?? or Israeli cous cous?? those instructions would really come in handy!

Delish! Great idea about storing the instructions in the jar. I love to do this so I can keep everything organized in my own containers. Here’s a tip, make sure you wipe off or clean the label beforehand since you never know who was touching it at the store before it made its way into your kitchen. Especially since it’s touching the food you will eat ;) thanks for another great recipe

Wow – this looks amazing! I knew you can find butternut squash pre-cut, but had no idea of the sprouts. I’m going to have to deviate from the grocery list this week a little :) And I’m like you, when I stray from my list it’s for things that are sweet!!

Wow, this looks awesome! Roasted, caramelized, fluffy – you had me at those adjectives. We can’t find shaved brussels sprouts over here – lame-o Germany – so I’ll have to slice them thinly myself and will have to sub another grain for the quinoa [sadly still hasn’t convinced me]. Maybe couscous? Anyway, I hope I’ll get around trying it soon.

I made this tonight but I cheated. Target sells cubed butternut squash and pre made quinoa in their freezer section. I still added the brown sugar and butter to a pan and added the steamed squash but the meal came together in 15 minutes this way. Delicious!

First, thank you for touting the benefits of quinoa rinsing. I had many a bitter, disgusting side dish before I knew you had to rinse it! Second, what a gorgeous recipe. This would be appreciated on any fall dinner table. Third, where did you get those lovely bowls/dishes?

Hi Iowa Girl,
I am planning on making this dish for my “Friendsgiving” this weekend. One of my friends is vegan – what do you think would be a good substitute for butter? Maybe coconut oil or general vegetable oil?

I made this today to bring for Thanksgiving Dinner and it is AMAZING!!! It will be a huge hit at our Thanksgiving dinner, we have Vegetarians and a few relatives with health restrictions (low sodium/potassium). Instead of roasting the brussels sprouts in olive oil and garlic salt, I had some Garlic infused Grapeseed Oil (we have someone who can have very little sodium)

[…] or if you’ve never tried it you should, here is one of an almost dozen recipes that I love: Quinoa with Caramelized Butternut Squash and Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Or you can substitute roasted broccoli for brussels sprouts (which I did for my […]

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hi, i’m kristin!

I'm a Midwestern wife and Mom of two little boys. After being diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2013, Iowa Girl Eats is a place I share delicious and approachable gluten-free recipes made with everyday, in-season ingredients. Visit my Recipe Index for inspiration!MORE ABOUT ME

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